01 · the cities
New York
New York is the city that refuses to take a nap. Five boroughs of bodegas, bagels, late-night dollar slices, and entire neighborhoods that switch languages every six blocks. The subway is a 472-station miracle that runs all night, and Central Park is the green lung that keeps Manhattan sane. You will spend more than you planned and love every minute of it.
full dispatch→Portland
Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,781/mo
$1,548/mo less than New York (87%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$562k
$177k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$5,823/mo
Portland has $1,713/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
171 days
178 days
7 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Portland has 6 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 17 more days per year than Portland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
87 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
57 routes
158 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
2.5M metro
New York has 31.8x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
7
Portland
categories won
Portland leads on money and weather and wins overall.
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